Tasmania’s criminals had an active start to the financial year, with offences in July up by nearly 5 per cent compared to July last year. A police statistical report showed statewide offences were up by 103 (4.7 per cent) to 2286, comparing the two Julys. Offences spiked in the police Northern District (Launceston and surrounds and the North-East), increasing from 624 to 755. There was a slight increase in the Western District (the North-West and West), from 426 to 433. The news was better in the Southern District, with offences down from 1133 to 1098. Police also had some wins on serious crimes, which tumbled from 46 to 30 statewide and decreased in all three regions. The Western District had just two serious crimes in July, which was down from five in July 2017. Serious crimes in the North dropped from 14 to eight and the South went from 27 to 20. The police Launceston Division started the financial year with easily the highest offence rate (945 per 10,000 residents). It had 624 offences in July - about 20 per day - compared to 448 offences in July last year. The Deloraine Division, not unusually, had the lowest offence rate in the state at 162 per 10,000. The Central West (265) and Kingston (184) divisions were also relatively crime free. The Deloraine, Central West, North-East, South-East and Hobart divisions had notable decreases in offence numbers, while Devonport, Kingston and Bridgewater had significant increases. Burnie and Glenorchy offence totals were little changed. The number of burgled motor vehicles surged in July to its highest level in at least a year. It went from 106 in June to 190 in July. There were sharp July to July increases in the Northern (28 to 64) and Southern (42 to 99) districts, and little change in the Western District (25 to 27). Theft of vehicles also increased sharply, from 91 statewide in June to 133 in July, which was pushing close to double the 74 incidents recorded in July last year. They more than doubled in the Western District, from six to 14, comparing the two Julys, and doubled in the Southern District to 90. The Northern District also had an increase, from 23 to 29. Speeding offenders detected decreased statewide from 4025 in July 2017 to 3750. They decreased in the Western and Southern districts, but increased from 762 to 892 in the Northern District. Excessive speed offenders increased statewide. Those detected between 15 and 29 kilometres per hour over the speed limit increased from 1820 to 1949. Those 30 kilometres or more above the limit increased from 103 to 115. .